This Day In Cavs History: LeBron James Re-Debuts In Second Stint

Nine years ago, LeBron James played his first game with the Cleveland Cavaliers since the 2009-10 season in his return to the team.

Throughout the 2023-24 NBA season, Spencer Davies is going to turn back the clock to milestone moments and important dates in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ past with “This Day In Cavs History.” Whether they’ve been good or bad, these events were significant in the franchise’s 53-year existence.

Forgive and forget.

That was the theme of a special night in downtown Cleveland, when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers made amends and started anew nine years ago in The King’s first game with the wine and gold since the 2009-10 season.

The air inside of then-Quicken Loans arena was filled of excitement and hope as a new era of Cavs basketball was upon the city. LeBron’s homecoming breathed new life into an organization that hadn’t been able to recover since he took his talents to South Beach and won a pair of championships with the Miami Heat.

This time, though, LeBron was coming back to a team that had Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, two cornerstone pieces of the franchise that came via the 2011 NBA Draft. Cleveland also acquired Kevin Love that summer in a blockbuster trade that sent back first overall pick Andrew Wiggins back to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Fans went crazy during the introductions as Cavs PA announcer Ahmaad Crump narrated the introductions and capped it with an emphatic, vintage scream of “From St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, Number 23, LeBron James!”

Unfortunately, the game didn’t go the Cavs’ way. Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks spoiled LeBron’s return. Cleveland dropped the contest by a final of 95-90. LeBron had 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and eight turnovers in his first night back.

Oct 30, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after scoring a layup while being fouled in the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

But as history would have it, the franchise went to four straight Finals with that Big Three. While the Cavs won only one series against the Golden State Warriors in 2016, it was the most memorable playoff run in the history of the team and will never be forgotten.